Aldosterone Antagonists in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients with Low Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: a Retrospective Study at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Bansbari, Kathmandu, Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone antagonists (AA) improve survival in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) "T40% ,with either clinical heart failure or diabetes mellitus. Our aim was to assess the adherence of AA use in Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal. METHODS: Medical records of 171 STEMI patients with LVEF "T40% and discharged from our centre between January 2012 and December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed, regarding the use of AA use. RESULTS: Among the 171 STEMI patients with LVEF "T40%, 5 patients were excluded study due to the presence of contraindication to AA therapy. Among the remaining 166 patients, only 135 (81.2%) patients were eligible for the AA therapy (58 patients with diabetes mellitus and clinical heart failure in 77 patients). Out of 58 diabetes mellitus patients, 28 (48.2%) patients were treated with AA. Whereas 39(50.6%) out of 77 patients with clinical heart failure were treated with AA. Overall, 67(49.6%) patients among 135 eligible patients were treated with AA. CONCLUSIONS: As in the international studies AA is under-used in our patient population. We still need some more effort to improve our prescription rate.

Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy.

Two hundred patients underwent Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) from January 2003 to July 2004. Seventy four percent of the patients were female. Age ranged from 10 years old to 61 years and mean age was 29 years. Twenty three percent of the patients were under 21 years of age. Atrial fibrillation was present in 32.0% of the cases. Mean mitral valve area increased from 0.90cm2 (+/- 0.14) to 1.82cm2 (+/- 0.21) (p = 0.018). Left atrial mean pressure decreased from 21 mmHg mean to 7 mmHg. Subjective improvement was reported in 98.0% of the patients immediately after the procedure. There was no mortality during the hospital stay or within the first month of the procedure. Significant mitral regurgitation of grade 3 was noted in 5 patients. Two developed severe mitral regurgitation. The complications were negligible. One had systemic embolisation during the procedure which recovered over a period of time. One developed deep vein thrombosis which recovered after treatment.

Study of Prevalence, Awareness,and control of Hypertension in a Suburban Area of Kathmandu, Nepal.

BACKGROUND, In the context of rapidly raising occurrence of cardiovascular diseases in the developing countries, it becomes imperative to study the scenario in its various aspects. The present study in Nepal deals with the hypertension as it is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS AND RESULTS, A house-to-house survey was conducted in a suburban area of Kathmandu valley from February to June 2005 in adult population (age >/=18 years) to estimate the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension. Blood pressure was measured twice using standardized mercury sphygmomanometer, and an average of the two readings was taken. Total number of subjects were 1114 (men:541; women: 573; mean age: 37.8 -/+ 16.3 years). Overall prevalence of hypertension was 19.7% (22.2% in men and 17.3% in women, p < 0.05).Prevalence of hypertension in age group of >/=40 years was 36%.Awareness, treatment, and control rates were 41.1%, 26%, and 6%, respectively. CONCLUSION, Our study indicates that prevalence of hypertension is significant in Nepal and is comparable with other developing countries of this region. Awareness, treatment, and control rates are poor.